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Social Media Policy Violates Academic Freedom

The AAUP condemns as a gross violation of the fundamental principles of academic freedom new Kansas Board of Regents rules under which faculty and other employees may be suspended, dismissed or terminated from employment for “improper use of social media,” says a statement issued today. It continues: "Not only faculty, but students and the general public benefit from the free exchange of information and ideas that are at the heart of the academic enterprise, whether conducted orally, in print, or electronically. We urge the Regents to revisit this decision, to repeal this ill-advised policy, and to work with elected faculty representatives to develop a social media policy that protects both the legitimate interest of the university in security and efficiency as well as the paramount interest of faculty and students in the unfettered exchange of ideas and information."

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